For example in driving stability control systems (ESP) for controlling and limiting undesired yaw movements of a motor vehicle about its vertical axis, significant variables which can be changed at will by the driver are measured using sensors. The variables which can be changed by the driver include the steering angle, the accelerator pedal position, the brake pressure, the lateral acceleration of the vehicle and the rotational speed of the individual vehicle wheels. A setpoint yaw rate is calculated from the measured variables. At the same time, the actual value of the yaw rate, which occurs in reaction to the driving maneuver, is measured with a yaw rate sensor. If the actual value of the yaw rate differs from the calculated setpoint value of the yaw rate beyond a predetermined degree at which the driving stability is endangered, the yaw movement of the vehicle and therefore the actual yaw rate are limited to permissible values by selective intervention in the brakes and the engine. In addition to the driving stability control systems, vehicle occupant protection devices serve to increase the safety of the vehicle occupants in a motor vehicle. A considerable number of accidents involve only one motor vehicle. Fatal, injuries usually occur in this type of accident if the motor vehicle rolls over about its longitudinal axis during the accident. In particular in the case of convertibles, rolling over of the vehicle can have fatal consequences. For this reason, vehicle occupant protection devices for convertibles are known which ensure a survival space for the vehicle occupants so that they do not come directly into contact with the underlying surface in the event of a rollover. A rollover bar, which extends over the heads of the vehicle occupants, meets this purpose. However, in the case of convertibles the esthetic impression is adversely affected to a considerable degree by a fixed rollover bar. For this reason, in a number of convertibles protection devices are provided which in a normal situation are concealed in the vehicle seats or behind the vehicle seats and are not extended, and then carry out their protective function, until a rollover is imminent. Prompt triggering of such a protection device requires prompt detection of an imminent rollover process. In inter-vehicle distance control systems, the pitching rate is additionally used, for example, for orienting the measurement beam (radar, infrared or the like) or else for controlling lighting systems. FIG. 1 contains a definition of the yaw rate, rolling rate and pitching rate. With respect to the plane in which the wheels of the vehicle lie, the yaw axis corresponds to the z direction of this plane in Cartesian coordinates.